TOREROS RUN OUT OF MAGIC, FALL TO HOYAS

WASHINGTON 
After the confetti fell to the ground and the “Hoyas” chants faded to a distant echo, USD forward Blake Milton sat alone on the pitch staring out into space.

His Toreros were the surprise of the NCAA Tournament after fighting back from 1-0 deficits against three ranked opponents — No. 25 Cal State Northridge, No. 4 UCLA and No. 20 Tulsa. But the Cinderella story came to a sudden end on Saturday.

Melvin Snoh recorded the game-winner on his first career goal and No. 6 Georgetown defeated USD 3-1 at North Kehoe Field, leaving Milton with few reasons to smile.

“Right now, even though we had a great season, it doesn’t feel like it,” said Milton, his bright blue eyes bloodshot with tears. “When we look back in maybe a month or two we can say it was a good season. Right now, getting so close to the Final Four tournament … it just hurts.”

Milton gave USD its first 1-0 lead of the tournament in the 49th minute when he headed Dan Delgado’s corner kick into the net.

Just a minute later, Georgetown midfielder Steve Neumann served a free kick into the box and USD headed the ball into its own net for the equalizer.

“I think if we would have kept it 1-0 for a little bit longer, I think we would have managed the game,” Milton said. “But then they scored a minute later and I think that broke our neck.”

Georgetown coach Brian Wiese echoed Milton’s sentiment.

“San Diego is the epitome of resiliency. They’ve been down 1-nothing, on the road in all three games they’ve played coming into here,” he said. “The fact that we got a goal back so fast was really important. It didn’t turn into a game where they were suddenly going to sit in and try to keep a 1-nothing lead.”

USD had its best chance to take the lead in the 65th minute. Connor Brandt headed a ball toward the lower corner, but a diving Thomas Gomez got just enough on the ball to steer it wide.

Georgetown recorded the game-winner on another set piece from Neumann in the 72nd minute. He angled a free kick toward the far post and freshman forward Snoh slid in to tap the ball home for his first career goal.

“It was nice to get my first goal in this atmosphere,” Snoh said. “I just beat my guy to the spot and (Neumann) put the ball in the right place and I was there.”

The never-say-die Tereros fought to get back in the match and had several good opportunities. But as USD pushed all of its defenders up to put pressure on Georgetown, Andy Reimer broke into the open field and followed his shot off the post for the game clincher in the 87th minute.

“I even thought we would come back or find a way to come back. We’ve been resilient in that regard,” USD coach Seamus McFadden said. “This team has been special because they really were overachievers. We’ve been a very hot team. But it’s difficult. Very difficult.”